So This Is Space
by coldfusion9797
Summary: Wanda's first impressions of Asgard. Set post Civil War. Part three of Avengers on Asgard series.


Wanda didn't feel so good. A lot had happened in the last day and maybe it was simply catching up with her.

She rose from the luxurious bed in the beautiful room that was now her own. The room was like nothing she had ever seen before, it was huge, trimmed in gold and scarlet, and much too extravagant for her needs. The word opulent came to mind. There'd been nothing opulent in Sokovia.

She crossed the room and opened the ornate wardrobe which was filled with beautiful clothes, clothes she would have to wear because there'd been no time to bring anything with them.

The room was lit by a soft, glowing light. She was unsure about the time of day. The Asgardian sky was different to Earth's, different shades of blue and gold in every direction, parts of it caught in perpetual twilight and stars so bright they were always visible. It was beautiful but it never quite achieved that stunningly vibrant midday blue which Earth's atmosphere was capable of creating.

She wondered what Pietro would think of all this. About her being the guest of royalty and being on another planet. The royalty part was the more shocking of the two.

Before Strucker and the Sceptre another planet would've been more unbelievable, but these days very little surprised her. Both because of the horrors she'd witnessed and her ability to read minds. Pietro was the bold one, he'd probably love the adventure. Wanda wasn't so sure.

Scanning through the wardrobe she chose the most practical dress she could find and changed into it. Many of the dresses had capes and flowing sleeves that looked difficult to manage. This one was simpler. It was a deep, cherry red, still with a long skirt but no embellishments. She slipped it on to find it fit her perfectly, expertly crafted like everything on Asgard appeared to be.

The thought troubled her because while everything seemed beautiful and perfect she felt a darkness brushing against the edge of her mind that she couldn't identify the cause of.

At first she'd felt okay about leaving. She was with Steve, whom she trusted explicitly, and when they'd landed on this end of the bifrost Heimdall had assured them the friends they'd left behind were safe. Steve had given his phone, the one that Tony might call, to Thor and asked that he let them know if Tony ever called. Steve still intended to keep his promise.

The walk across the rainbow bridge had been incredible. The shimmering, vivid bridge itself and the dark waters that churned beneath, cascading into the void. Of course the artist in Steve was awestruck but even Bucky'd had to admit it was breathtaking.

After speaking to his father, Thor had met them at the city gate and brought them to the palace.

It was interesting to see where he had grown up and it explained a lot about the size of his ego. The palace was not modest.

For now they each had their own set of rooms, not in the palace Thor had said, but in his family home if they'd prefer to think of it that way. Either way it was very generous.

Then he'd taken them to see his father. Steve did most of the talking, which Wanda was thankful for, because something about the king made her uneasy. It wasn't exactly bad, it was more like a well-fed cat poised ready to pounce if it saw something interesting enough to warrant its attention. The threat was present but not imminent. Dangerous if she wasn't careful but harmless enough if she was. It was difficult to say for sure though because Odin was the most powerful being in the nine realms, an oppressive presence was to be expected. She hadn't dared to read him, fearing that he would be able to perceive the intrusion and after his hospitality it would've been too rude, not to mention possibly garnered that attention she was keen to avoid. The king had been nothing but courteous but still it had been a relief when the meeting was over.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. She allowed herself the briefest moment of insight, just enough to know it was Steve on the other side. He radiated strength and surety like no one else. Sometimes other emotions drifted over those qualities like wild storm clouds but those traits were as reliable as the sun, always there and ready to shine through again.

"Come in!" she called.

He pushed the door open and stopped for a second when his eyes landed on her, surprise playing over his handsome face. It took her a second to remember the dress.

"You like?" she asked playfully.

"It's, ah, very... Asgardian," he managed.

"That is the idea," she smiled.

"Yeah," he agreed, rubbing the back of his neck. "So I just wanted to check how you are? We left in kind of a rush."

For a second Wanda wondered if she should be honest or not. She didn't want to worry him or appear ungrateful, but she certainly didn't want to lie, so she settled for a vague version of the truth.

"I'm okay, just tired I think," she told him, taking a seat on the bed. Steve crossed the polished floor and joined her.

"It's going to be a bit of an adjustment," he began, "but one that's worth it I hope. We're free here. You can do whatever you want. Go wherever you like. Be whoever you want to be." He spoke with a certainty Wanda wished she could share.

"I don't even know what that is," she admitted. Since she was a child she'd simply followed orders. First HYRDA, then Ultron and eventually with the Avengers, taking her direction from Steve himself.

"Me neither," Steve confessed, "but at least we have a chance to find out now. Together."

"You are right," she smiled. The gift of freedom was the greatest one she'd ever been given and sharing it with Steve Rogers, and Bucky too, was something to look forward to. "Where is Bucky?" she asked, finding it a little strange that Steve had let Bucky out of his sight.

The same look that Steve always got when he spoke about Bucky appeared on his face. Wanda had to admit it was sweet. Some of the others had struggled to understand it but she didn't. She'd had a bond like that once. If Pietro miraculously came back to her one day, she knew she'd have that very same look on her own face.

"Thor's friend Volstagg heard him mention he hadn't had anything to eat for six months and took it upon himself to 'remedy the travesty'. I assume they're stuffing their faces with Asgardian delicacies as we speak."

The image of a famished, one-armed Bucky abandoning all table manners because he couldn't hold a knife and a fork, and shovelling food one-handed into his mouth made her smile.

"Sounds like he's settling in then."

"Bucky's never been one to let an opportunity pass him by."

Sitting beside Steve, the man who had accepted her unconditionally, freed her from more than one prison and travelled across space to secure her wellbeing, Wanda was cautiously optimistic about the future. She laid her hand over his and looked up into steady blue eyes. She did not doubt his goodness or intentions to make a better life for the people he cared about, only her own potential to be worthy of his efforts.

"I hope the same can be said of us."

 **AN: Stay tuned…**


End file.
